Under current law, the teacher mentor grant program (grant
program) provides funding to partnerships between local education providers and educator preparation programs to provide training and stipends for experienced teachers who mentor teacher candidates in clinical practice.
The bill expands the grant program to include mentorship of novice teachers who have fewer than 3 years of teaching experience.
The bill requires the general assembly to appropriate $500,000
dollars to the department of higher education for the grant program for the 2024-25 state fiscal year. Any appropriation remaining at the end of the 2024-25 state fiscal year may be used for the grant program in subsequent fiscal years.